Margaret Z. and Eric W. Fonkalsrud, M.D. Endowed Scholarship
EST. 2009
Please address your letter to:
Ms. Margaret Fonkalsrud
Dr. Eric W. Fonkalsrud, professor and emeritus chief of pediatric surgery at UCLA Medical Center, was born shortly after his parents emigrated to the U.S. from Norway. His father, a civil engineer, was recruited to design bridges across the Columbia River, and the family moved to Seattle in 1942.
Dr. Fonkalsrud graduated from Queen Anne High School, and received a B.S. in zoology from the University of Washington in 1953. He was a member of the national championship crew in 1950 and 1952. He retains a strong affection for the University, although he earned his medical degree at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine in 1957. Dr. Fonkalsrud completed a residency in general and thoracic surgery at Johns Hopkins and the UCLA School of Medicine, and a fellowship in pediatric surgery at the Columbus Children’s Hospital. He was appointed chief of pediatric surgery at the UCLA Medical Center in 1965.
A prolific author, Dr. Fonkalsrud’s clinical and research programs included pioneering investigation in the surgical treatment of ulcerative colitis with restorative proctocolectomy, liver transplantation, congenital chest wall malformations, gastroesophageal reflux disease, and neonatal surgery. He was honored as “Man of the Year’ by the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of California in 1999, elected to the Johns Hopkins University Society of Scholars in 2003, and received the UCLA Medical Alumni Professional Achievement Award in 2003. He is a recipient of the Golden Apple award at UCLA, and other awards from national and international surgical societies for lifelong contributions to children’s surgery and student mentorship.
Dr. Fonkalsrud passed away in 2017.